“Making a total commitment to a Lubavitch way of life was an ongoing process for me,” explains Rabbi Nachman Meir Bernhard, Rabbi of the prestigious Oxford Synagogue in Johannesburg, South Africa. “Before I left America for South Africa, it was the Rebbe who, in a long first Yechidus in 1964, convinced me that I had a responsibility to return to the Rabbinate, although I had inclinations to the contrary, and he encouraged me to accept my present Rabbinic position.

“After ten more years of community service, I began to consider leaving the Rabbinate again. For many years, I had been longing to settle in Eretz Yisrael , and I felt that the time had come to make this dream a reality. I began making plans and scheduled a pilot trip in search of a suitable position and housing. I was involved enough in Lubavitch by that time to know that I should consult the Rebbe before making any binding decisions. So, after my visit to Eretz Yisrael , I flew to New York before returning to South Africa.

“It was the summer of 1974, and this was my second yechidus with the Rebbe. At great length, the Rebbe explained why I could accomplish much more by continuing to serve the South African Jewish community, ‘Don’t you think that I too would like to be there (in Eretz Yisrael), close to the Kedushah (holiness)? But we have responsibilities.’

“Though I obviously said I would follow the Rebbe’s directive, I could not hide my disappointment. I felt the need to discuss the matter further with the Rebbe before my return to South Africa, and I hesitantly requested to be allowed another yechidus. I was grateful when the Rebbe agreed to see me again on Sunday, for I knew this was most unusual.

“That Shabbos, the Rebbe granted me extraordinary measures of attention and encouragement. I appreciated this very much, and the first thing I said when I went into his study on Sunday was a word of thanks for the expression of closeness (Keiruv).

“‘Expressing closeness is a two-way street,’ the Rebbe replied.

“‘Must I too show closeness to the Rebbe?!’ I asked in wonder.

“‘Yes!’

“‘What does the Rebbe mean? I have already agreed to accept the Rebbe’s advice. I am staying in South Africa.’

“‘Yes,’ said the Rebbe, ‘but your decision should not be made with the resignation of one who has reluctantly accepted a decree. Rather, it should come happily and good-heartedly!’

“Although I didn’t move to Eretz Yisrael , over the years the Rebbe spoke to me on several occasions about issues concerning the Holy Land. Once he told me of a conversation he had with the then Minister of Defense of Israel. The Rebbe had asked him what plan or strategy the government had for the next ten years.

“The Minister answered, ‘G‑d will help.’

“‘What’s going on here?’ the Rebbe said. ‘I am asking you like a layman (i.e., from a worldly perspective), and you are answering me like a Rebbe!’ He then grew very serious and said, ‘The truth is, they have no plan!’

“The Rebbe has also expressed his opinion on South Africa’s internal policies. On more than one occasion, he spoke of the need for the government to replace the apartheid regulations with a system of justice and equity. Upon the Rebbe’s directive, Rabbi Lipskar, the head shliach in South Africa, and I once visited the former Prime Minister, John Vorster, and encouraged him in his very cautious pioneering attempts to modify these policies, conveying the Rebbe’s prophetic words that South Africa had a bright future.

“Some months later, we received notice from government officials that the Prime Minister requested to see us again. This was just a short time before a scheduled historic meeting in Europe with U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, which the South African government regarded as vital to the country’s future.

“After welcoming us, the Prime Minister lost no time in expressing his desire: ‘I would like to know what the Gentleman in New York has to say now.’ This was just one of many indications that innumerable Jews and Gentiles have drawn great comfort from the Rebbe’s repeated reassurances that all will be well in South Africa and that there is no need to fear, panic or flee.

On a more personal note, Rabbi Bernhard recalls one of numerous occasions when the Rebbe assisted him with regard to his family. “Once, during yechidus, I mentioned that one of my daughters who had been an excellent student was becoming lax and falling behind in her studies. The Rebbe listened attentively and said, ‘This is not laziness. She has a particular medical problem’, which he named. ‘Your wife should take her to a specialist, who will find and treat the condition.’

“After the yechidus, I immediately phoned my wife. She took our daughter to see a specialist, who arrived at the same diagnosis, and prescribed effective treatment.”